Lunch out, then Homeward Bound

The lazy, sunny days at Napier were coming to a close.  There really is nothing nicer than sitting under the awning, doing a little knitting or stitching, and chatting away with our friends.  Gemma discovered one of the locker doors open, and wasted no time jumping in to see what she could find.  Sorry Gemma, there’s nothing very interesting in there at all, just a cozy place to curl up.

Gemma in the locker

On our last day in camp we arranged to go out to lunch with Helen and Owen – where to but the Silky Oak Chocolate café.  It was hot and sunny, a typical Hawkes Bay day, so we sat outside the café under the awning.  Even under the awning it was so bright we needed to keep our sun glasses on to stop us squinting.  The age old question, what to order?  Robin ordered a BLT and I had a salmon roulade, and of course we needed one of their delicious iced chocolate drinks as well.  Who cares about the calories, surely they don't count when you are on holiday?

 

Lunch at Silky Oak

We called into the Chocolate Shop to buy some drinking chocolate, and to be honest a few little chocolates came home with us as well.  The staff member told us about the flood rushing through the buildings during Cyclone Gabrielle a year a go, and showed us how high up the internal walls the water rose.  All the stock had to be thrown out of course, and the business was closed for six months while repairs took place.

The following morning we packed up, said our goodbyes, and headed for home.  Just prior to Dannevirke we stopped and waited, and waited some more.  I guess that we were held up here on the road for a good 15 minutes at least.  What was wrong, we wondered?  Nothing wrong, just the never ending road works, laying asphalt on the road surface, then rolling it.

Never ending road works

We stopped for lunch at a lay-by at the beginning of Dannevirke.  Oh look, there’s a fine looking Viking to welcome us.  If you are wondering about Vikings here in New Zealand, 13 Danish and 8 Norwegian families arrived and started clearing bush and making new lives here for themselves.

Lunch stop at Dannevirke

On the road again, and we arrived home mid afternoon.  The caravan was unpacked, and put back where it belongs, laundry was started, and we collapsed in a heap, hot and bothered on such a hot day.   We had a great time away, caught up with family and friends, travelled here and there, and plenty of relaxing days in camp.  But it’s always nice to get home again, and  I’m looking forward to getting to work on my sewing machine again, it’s certainly been a while.